Steam-hammer



J. MORRIS STEAM HAMMER- Patented Jan. 31, 1854.-

JOHN L. L.MORRIS, or READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM-HAMMER. I

Specification of Letters Patent No. 10,47 9, dated J anuary 31,- 1854'.

T 0 all whom 2t may concern Be it known that I, JOHN L. L. MORRIS, of-

Reading, in the county of Berks and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-hammers for forging, stamping, and cutting metals and for stamping or crushing refractory matters like gold quartz and metallic ores and other substances; and I do, hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of'the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part' of this specification, in which Figure 1, is a central. longitudinal vertical section of a steam-hammer. constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2, is a transverse vertical section of the same, taken through the center of the cylinder. Fig. 3, is a horizontal section of the same, taken through the line, a, w, of Fig. 1. Fig.4, is a horizontal section of the steam chest, taken through the induction passage. Fig. 5, is a section showing the wav of attaching the hammer to the connecting rod.

' Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several figures.

The object of this invention is, to construct a steam-hammer which shall befree.

from the defects which exist in the two forms of steam-hammer now in use.

The defects to which I refer in the direct action steam-hammer, are, the upsetting and bending of the piston rod, and. the difficulty of keeping tight packing, when the hammer head is attached to the rod; the bursting or breaking of the cylinders, when the hammer is attached to a cylinder moving on a stationary piston; the strain on all the parts of the machinery, if the work be not directly under the center of the hammer; and the difliculty of working on more than one side of the anvil. The defects in the hel've steam-hammer, are, the constant breaking of the helves, and the failure of the face of the hammer to fall.

parallel with the face of the anvil, except structed, arranged, and connected,'that this effect is imperceptible.

The object'is, also, to give the. hammerman ample room for the free manipulation of the work, and to place all the steam apparatus entirely outof his way, and to place all the handles in'such position as to be under the control of the engineer standing in one place. I

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the construction and operation ofthe' same.

The framing of the hammer consists of two strong standards, 'A, A, firmly secured toa bedplate, B, which rests upon a suitable foundation. The hammer-block, C, Works vertically between guide plates, D, D, right over the anviL'and is connected by a connecting-rod, I, tooneend of a beam, E,'of' cast or wroughtiron, whlch vibrates upon a.

fixed center or gudgeon, F, working in suitable bearings, e, e, secured to the standards, A

A, A, and has its opposite end connected by links, G, G, with the piston rod, H, whose piston, W, works in a cylinder, L, and is caused to raise the hammer by the elastic force of steam acting on its upper side. The piston rod is kept ina vertical position by a guide, 0, securedto the standards, A, A.

through a strong jaw or head formed at'the bottom of the rod, and through the sides of the hammer block; the jaw or head entering, a recess, 0, in the block. The pin, a, isagood fit in the jaw; but'the holes, I), b, in

the hammer block', through which itpasses', are elongated vertically, to allow the pin to play in that direction; and thebottom of the recess, 0', is furnished with an elastic cushion, d, consisting of a piece of' indiarubber or a spiral or other spring. One effect ofthis connection is,th'at after the ham-.

iner has been arrested by striking; its blow, the connectingrod will'be allowed toz deev "sc end by reason of the momentum acqu redif by". it,. s'ome distance farther, for the pur pose of, giving thenecessary movement. to a latch letter, J, which is connected WitHits jaw, to act upon a trigger, K, which sets free and causes the opening of the steam valve, and the admission of the steam abovethe piston, instantly upon the striking of the blow, and before the momentum of the rod, and the end of the beam to which it is connected, can have caused percussion to take place between the rod and hammer; all

of which operations will be. found hereinafter fully described in' a more suitable place. Another effect of this connection is, that, if the hammer should rebound after giving its blow, the evil effects of its percussive action on the mechanism is prevented by the spring or elastic cushion, (Z.

The beam, E is made with that part between the center and the connecting rod twice the length of that part between the center and the piston rod, for the purpose of making the stroke of thepiston as short as possible, and giving a. rapid motion to the hammer block, and also to throw the center of the hammer block and anvil so far from the standards, as to allow of free manipulation of the work at both sides of the anvil. minishes the first cost of the machine, and also its wear and tear, in proportion to the fall obtained for the hammer; and the increased length of that part of the beam to which the hammer is attached, brings the whole of the steam apparatus out of the hammer-mans way.

Th cylinder is bolted on the top of a circular chamber, P, which is bolted to the bedplate, and serves to receive the exhaust steam through the eduction pipe, Q, leading from the eduction passage, previously to its escape to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe, R, which leads from the bottom of the said chamber under the bedplate, of which the said pipe, R, forms a part. On the top of the cylinder is bolted a steam chest, S, of which, one part forms a continuation of the cylinder; being bored to the same size as the cylinder and receiving an annular piston valve, T, which is attached by two rods, 79, 7), to a forked arm, Y, on a vertical rod, K, (see Figs. 1, and 2,) and which works steam tight within the cylindrical part of the chest, and, by reason of the opening, 21, through it, and the steam being admitted above and below, is perfectly balanced. The induction and eduction passages surround the cylindrical part of the chest; the induction passage, 9, being the lowest, and communicating with the interior of the cylinder by a large number of ports, h, h, at equal distances apart, all around; these passages are shown in Figs. 1, and 2, in dotted lines; being at the present time closed and hidden by the valve; the steam being shut off, and the hammer descending. The eduction passage, 2', is immediately The short stroke of the piston dicates with the interior of the cylinder by a number of ports, j, 7', similarly arranged to the steam ports, h, h.

The steam and eduction ports being almost equal in lengthto the circumference of the cylinder, will require to be of but little depth, and therefore a very short motion of the valve will be necessary to close one and open the other, respectively, as may be required, at the same time admitting steam equally all round the piston. The steam being admitted at once to act equally on all sides of the piston, will prevent any tendency to racking and produce a more perfect movement than could be obtained by any other arrangement of ports. The eduction pipe, Q, opens from the eduction passage, and a valve seat is formed in its opening; furnished with a puppet valve, is,

which is furnished with a rod passlng through a stufling box, in the cover of the chest, and connected with a hand-lever, Z, which places it under the control of the engineer, to open, close, or partly close the pipe, as may be desired. If this valve were closed, the exhaust steam could not make its escape through the pipe, Q,to the exhaust pipe, and therefore would arrest the upward motion of the piston, and descent of the hammer; and it may be closed sufliciently to produce such a resistance to the ascent of the piston, as to allow the hammer to. descend as gently as might be required in any case, so that it might, when occasion requlred, operate as a squeezer, on small forging, or in taking welding heats. The

valve, R, is thus made to serve as a ernor, to regulate the fall of the hammer,

The throttle valve box receives the steam pipe, and communicates with the passage, m, by ports, a, 11., arranged at intervals apart, all around, like the induction and eduction ports around the cylinder. The ports, a, n, are opened and closed or their. width of opening is regulated by moving the piston valve downward or upward in th valve box; the valve being furnished with a rod, working through a stuifing-box, and connected by suitable levers and a rod with a hand lever, 0, whose position is close to the lever, Z. i V

The annular piston valve T, is packed in above the induction passage, and communithe same way as a steam-piston, and fits in 3 .in a vertical bearingin a strongarm, Z,

the same'manner to the cylinder or, thepart;

of the s-team chest, which forms an upward continuation thereof. The opening, through itallows the piston rod, ,H,-to work through above the piston, when the induction passages are] closed, and the-eduction passages open. The rods, [2,19 towhichthe valve, T, is attached, work through stuffing boxes in the cylinder cover, one on each side of the piston rod; and the forked arm,Y, to which they are attached, is rigidly secured tothe .valve rod, X. This valve rod is: furnished at its lower end with a small piston, g, which fits steam tight in a small cylinder, 1 which has an opening. in its bottom commu nicating with the induction passage, g, in the steam chest; the said opening admitting.- steam under the piston, at: all'timeswheu the throttle valve-isopen, for the purpose of raising the rod and valve, and thereby closing the eductioir and'opening the: in-

duction ports when: the valve rod is set,

free from the triggeig K, before referred to.- The valve rod, X, has a boss or fixedcollar,-

z, surrounding it, just above the small cyl inder, 7', for the purposeof forming a shoulder for the trigger to rest on, and keep the valve in a depressed state during' the fall of the hammer, and thus keep? the eduction ports open and induction ports-closed, during the fall of the hammer, and until the blow is struck; All that part of thevalve rod above the arm, Y, is screwed and furnished with a long-nut, y, whichflslides in the hub of one, s, of arpai-r of bevel toothed wheels, but does'not turntherein by reason of its being furnished with a feather, The hub of the wheel, s, is' fitted to turn freely which is boltedv to or cast with the crossbra'cing of the framing; and thus the nut is made to serve as a guide to the upper part of the valve rod. The bevel wheel, t, intov which the wheel, 8, gears, and by which it is turned, is fast on a small shaft,ru, which works in a suitable bearing in the front standard, A, and is furnished with a handle, 4), under the control of the engineer or other attendant, I

The valve rod is prevented turning by its rigid connection with the forked arm, Y, and rods, 79, p," and therefore, when the nut is turned by turning thebe'vel wheels, it is only raised or lowered upon the screw. The valve rod is operated upon, to shut off the steam and open the exhaust, when the hammer is raised to the proper height by means of a sliding bush, 10, which is at- I tached by links, w, x, to the beam, and slides opened, and the, induction ports are: closed, i

by the valve,- when, the piston being left free, the hammer falls; Duringthe latter part of the descent of the valve rod, the shoulder at the top of thecollar, 2, passes the trigger, which catches it and prevents the ascent" of the rod; thus keeping the valve in'the position described and shown in the drawing,- until the trlgger is moved.

to set therod free. The reason for using a nut, y, instead of-a fixed piece, to' be acted upon by the bush, 'w is, thatthe' steam may beshut oil at any givenpoint in the downward: stroke of the piston; the nut being raised onthe rod, causing the steam to be shutoff sooner, and being lowered to be shut-oil later, in the stroke, and the fall of the hain ner being. thereby diminished or increased as may bedesired- The nut may. be: lowered on the screw to such a position that the bush. would never reach it, and it would then be inoperative and it would be,

thus lowered whenever it mi ht be neces sa ry or desirable to control the operatio'n of the hammer by; hand.-

.T'heatrigger may be made of cast iron; and, as seen sidewise, it'is nearly of the form of the letter, T, prostrated thus, I-,;, and itis capable of moving nearly horizontally upontwo rollers, 6, 6', whose axes are secured in a small carriage, 7,,bolted to the framing. Oneend is forked, toreceive the rod, X, and also a piece, of case-hardened steel oriron, 8,;to rest-on the collar,la, the collar being also hardened, or having a pieceof hardenediron or steel let into it where the trigger rests upon it, to prevent wear and lost motion. The opposite end of the trigger forms the crosspiece of the T, and j stands nearly vertical with .a straight smooth face, at; the back, of which there is a small boss, to admit the end of a small;

'eyebolt, q,vwhich is secured by a transverse pin, 10, to the carriage, 7, and is surrounded by a spiral spring, so confined that its tendency is always to draw'the trigger into contact with the ,rod, and make it stop the ascent of thela'tter, whenever the shoulder of the collar, 2, passes below it: There is Y ar'ecessor holefll, in the trigger, which serves to allow a small transverse shaft, 13, fitting in hearings on the standards,.to pass through it. This small: shaft carries a small cam, 12, which is within the recess, 11, and I g is-furnished with a handle, 14:, outside the" framing, convenient to the engineer, for turning it. This shaft and cam serve the purpose of throwing the trigger altogether out of gear, when it is desired to control the operation of the hammer by hand, and also to move the trigger, to set the valve rod and valve free to open the induction and close the eduction ports, to raise the hammerfor a new stroke, atsuch times as the descent of the hammer has been made so gentle, by using the eduction valve, as before described, that the latch lever fails to operate upon the trigger. In case of any accident, as for instance, the forging falling off the anvil, or in case of the hammer man not beingquick enough to turn some piece of heavy work, the shaft, 13, and cam,12, serve to disengage the valve rod from the trigger, and thus admit steam above the piston to arrest the blow of the hammer.

The latch lever, J, before described as actuating the trigger to set the valve rod free, is what is known as a bell crank lever. Its fulcrum is a pin, 15, which is placed transverselyi'n a bracket, 16, attached to the back of the hammer block, and one of its arms, which occupies nearly a horizontal position passes through anopening in the back of the block, into the recess, 0, and is connected to the connecting-rod, L bythe pin, a, which also connects the rod to the hammer block; the other arm hangs nearly vertical, and is furnished at its lower end with an anti-friction roller, 17, to work against the vertical face of the trigger. The.

movement of the'lever, J on its fulcrum, can only be such as is allowed to the pima',"

by the slots, 1), b. When the hammer is be.- ing raised, the pin is of course at the top of the slots; and during the descent of the hammer, the slight resistance to the descent of the rod, I, which is ofiered by the weight and friction of the piston is suflicient to keep the pin, a, in the same position; (see Fig. 1, in which the slots are shown 'by dotted lines,) and when in this position, the.

roller, 17, either does not touch,or works in easy contact without pressing on the face of the trigger; but when the blow is struck, and the movement of the hammer is' arrested, the slightly-continued descent of the rod and the pin, a, throws back the roller in contact with the trigger with sufficient force to move the triggerback from contact with the shoulder on the collar, 2, and set free tionof lifting and letting fall the hammer may be controlled by the hand lever, 19,

which works on arfixed fulcrum, 20, on a the hammer at theother end of the beam, as shown, the beam may oscillate from a fixed point at one end, and the'piston be connected half way between this point and the hammer; this will enable the beam to be shortened, and still give as long a stroke; A long stroke may also be obtained by connecting the hammer and piston to opposite ends of a beam which oscillates from the center of its length, if the ends of the beam are furnished with segments. and the piston and hammer are connected thereto by straps of flat metal, or by any flexible material, or by chains. r I g I do not claim attachingt-hehammer to beam, which is operated by a piston in a -stea1n-cylinder,when the hammer is connected rigidly to thebeam, as that would be equivalent to -what is 'known as the helvesteam hammer. But What I- claim. as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent,is l -1. Admitting steam to the cylinder above the piston, and, exhausting the steam there from, through ports, 9, g, and j, j, which are opened and closedby an annular valve, T, working in the cylinder itself, or in a steam chest, S, which. is placed above, and forms a continuation of the cylinder substantially as herein described.

2. I claim,

ofT or other shape, capable of operating as he combination of a bell crank latch lever, J, with a trigger or catch, K,

described, when the fulcrum of the said,

catch: lever, is attached and stationary in relation to the hammer-block, and one end or arm is attached to the connecting rod of the hammer-block, and receives the necessary movement to actuate the trigger or catch, to set free the valve rod by means of a continued descent of the connecting-rod, after the hammer is arrested .by-striking the. blow, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

JOHN L. L. MORRIS.

Witnesses: JAMES MILLHOLLAND,

, WM. CAMERER, 

